Summer, Summer, Summertime...

     Ok, I know, I've been slacking on the blog again. A lot has happened since I wrote last, way back in March. I don't know if I can remember it all to try and catch you up.
      I have once again moved! Out with the old and in with the new. Boy had I been conned! What a mistake! Oh well, you live and you learn and now I'm on to better things.
     I'm living on my own again and loving it. I got a spacious 1 bedroom apartment in North Attleboro. I have great neighbors and it's surprisingly quite.
     This summer has been filled with fun and adventure. I've been on several mortorcycle runs, all benefiting some great charities. Here are a couple pictures...

I also had a lot of fun in New Hampshire this summer...

      

All and all I've just had a blast with some great friends!

...and that's the long and short of it...

Chrissy's Craft Corner

     I've gotten some new ideas from a great website www.younghouselove.com  I started a great little crafting corner underneath the stairs in the basement where I can do my scrapbooking and other crafts and everything has its place.

     I hung a couple shelf units to house my gift wrapping supplies (wrapping paper, bows and gift boxes).  A great tip from the above website.   I also added a small curtain rod attached to the wall to hold my spools of ribbon.

    

  

  
     I utilized a plastic bin I had and afixed it to the wall to hold my many gift bows.

     I also affixed a knob to the cover for easy opening.

I also started some wine cork projects that I haven't completed yet.  This is the project I'm working on www.chicaandjo.com/2008/08/05/recycle-wine-corks-to-give-a-plain-basket-new-life/

      

Check back later for the finished project...

Craft Projects

  
     While we are still getting settled in the new place and getting new furniture and everything, I have started a few craft projects.  I tool the cue from my sister-in-law and made a chalkboard menu board for the kitchen.  http://gradstudentchronicles.wordpress.com/2010/02/10/fun-with-chalkboard-paint/

     I also got some wall quotes for the kitchen from a great site I found.  http://www.wallquotes.com/

    I've got some more ideas rolling around in my head too. Stay tuned for more decorating updates!

Don't Sweat the Small Stuff!

     Well, We're all moved in!  It was a long stressful process, but we made it through and we're finally settling in.  We hit a lot of bumps along the way and I found myself getting very frustrated and being overwhelmingly irritable...not a nice person to be around.  When I look back now on all the little things that bothered me during this adventure which at the time seemed unbearable, I am ashamed and embarrassed!

     While returning home from a rode trip to Connecticut, we stopped off for a bite to eat at McDonalds.  We were nearly finished our lunch when a little old lady who was sitting next to us struck up a conversation.  I might add that this lady was not eating lunch like everyone else, but merely sitting at the table beside us for no apparent reason, but seemingly to tell us her story...

     This woman was Jewish and told us how she was in the Auswich concentration camps when she was just 18 years old.  She told us how she watched her entire family die in the gas chambers.  She went on to say how she was the very next girl in line to be gassed herself, when for some reason that she still doesn't know to this day, she was pulled out of line by a guard and saved.  She was put to work cleaning up and caring for all the people with Typhoid.  She later found out that same guard was killed the next day for saving her.  As we finished up our lunch, we said our goodbyes to this incredible woman and were left with such an amazing feeling.
  
     This little encounter definitely put things into perspective and made all those little things that I was freaking out over seem so trivial.  Is my life really that bad?  Can you imagine being next in line to die?

Check out this article referencing a book called Don't Sweat The Small Stuff When So Much Else Matters. www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2006/02/19/dont_sweat_the_small_stuff_when_so_much_else_matters/ and the song The Good Stuff by Kenny Chesney. www.youtube.com/watch?v=IYQZJ9NUzYU
  
     In closing, I'd like to share a couple quotes that are so perfect for when you may feel like those little things are outrageously huge...

"Things turn out best for the people who make the best of the way things turn out." -Art Linkletter

"Only those who have the patience to do simple things perfectly will acquire the skill to do difficult things easily." -Johann Schiller

  

 

It's Been A Long Time...

OK, so I haven't written in quite some time and a lot has happened.  I'll try to catch you up as quickly and painlessly as I can...


Knee Injury: My knees are completely heeled!  I haven't gone back to the C25K, but I did take up a Boot Camp class in Mansfield twice a week which incorporates quite a bit of running along with some much needed strength training.  I did feel that I made some great strides with my running ability since joining.   http://www.dreambodbootcamp.com/ I enjoy the class quite a bit, but have since put it on hold to take care of other obligations.  I also was going to the gym at work for a while which I hope to pick back up once things settle down a bit.

Summer: This past summer was packed full of monumental events!  In August, I turned 30!  No big deal really, still feel the same.  I guess the real difference is that I'm Happy to be here now!   www.youtube.com/watch?v=WLgLfD3wElQ   I had another big day in August, an Anniversary of sorts.  I'd like to call it my "rebirth", if you will.  A year has passed since I started over.  With a little help from supportive family and friends and some long overdue medication, I reassested my life and started over with a clearer head and a new outlook.

Cigarettes: I am proud to announce that I finally beat the habit!  With the exception of like 3 cigarettes, I have been a non-smoker for 11 months now!  There are still those certain times, usually when my stress level is real high that I'd love to have a smoke, but the little habits such as lighting up as soon as I get in the car or after a meal, have subsided.  I feel great and it definately helps when the excersize comes into play.

Tattoos: I have gotten some new ink.  2 new pieces that I love.  I got some lotus flowers on my left forearm to cover up some ugly self inflicted scars that had been haunting me for years.  I used to cut myself to deal with pain and anger or depression and I was left with several ugly scars that were a constant reminder of someone I no longer am.  I got the lotus flowers to cover them because they symbolize perceverence and new beginnings.  You can still see the scars underneath if you look close, but I'm OK with that because my past is what made me who I am today and I like Me today!

I also got another piece, in memory of my best friend Elizabeth Saba who sadly passed away in October 2009.  Liz would have been 30 in August just a week after me.  The piece I got was the sheet music of the chorus to Don't Stop Believin by Journey.  Liz had gotten up and sang this song several times at Karaoke and I can still see it now.  Makes me smile every time I think about it!  www.youtube.com/watch?v=barLaHrtvoM

Side Job: Well, I tried out the Tupperware sales and I sold quite a bit, but it's really not my cup of tea!  I'd really have to have 2-3 parties a week to make any good money at it and that just isn't my idea of fun.  I was pretty much breaking even doing the catalog sales and the extra money I did make I'd put back into newsletters or promotional gifts and stuff.  I got a lot of cool free products, but I think I'm over the whole Tupperware thing.  I've been toying with the idea of getting back into sewing and that kind of stuff.  I really am quite crafty if I do say so myself...Lol!  I'd like to try and make some money at making scrapbooks for people or maybe some small sewing projects...just an idea at this point.


Holidays: Well, the Holidays were stressful as always, but we got through them; a few more pounds, several more grey hairs and a lot lighter in the wallet, but we enjoyed ourselves despite the stresses.

Happy 2010: The begining of the new year was spent packing up the house and moving.  The worst possible time to move with the Holidays and the snow, I might add!  I think I'm a magnet for stress...LOL!  I am optimistic for the new year.  I really feel like It's going to be one of bigger and better things and I'm ready for whatever life throws at me!